The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Howard L. Leonard (ASN: 39379577), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company C, 275th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division, in action on 3, 4, and 20 January 1945, near Phillipsbourg, France. On 3 January, with the assistance of a medical aidman, Sergeant Leonard successfully evacuated a wounded comrade under dangerous enemy fire. On 4 January, when working from house to house through the village, he cleared a basement with a hand grenade and captured four prisoners. Immediately afterward he attached himself to a volunteer group to drive the remainder of the enemy from Phillipsbourg. On 20 January, when the platoon was out on night patrol with the mission of capturing prisoners, Sergeant Leonard knocked out an enemy machine gun with two hand grenades, thereby allowing the patrol to proceed to the edge of Lixingen, France. From this location, he and twelve other men kept the enemy occupied with rifle fire while the remainder of the patrol entered the village to capture prisoners.